Adventures in Content Strategy
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Benjamin Franklin
Travel, reading, knitting, and writing outside of Mad*Pow and the UX and content strategy community. What Amanda does in her spare time.
When I first read Mary Cain’s story of disordered eating, encouraged by her coach, I was sad. But I wasn’t horrified, because I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I was a little relieved to find that an amazing runner like Mary struggled with some of the same challenges I did. The more I follow Mary’s story,…
I love to travel. Over the years I’ve visited more than 40 countries across 5 continents. I love trying new foods, hearing and learning new languages, and learning about local history. But until last year I had seen very little of the United States. I also love to run. That’s how my sister and I…
Last week I went to synagogue. It’s not a common occurrence for me, but when I go I like to hear the Rabbi’s sermon. This time the Rabbi spoke about respecting people while disagreeing with them. He stressed the importance of a hug or lighter conversation after, and disagreeing respectfully. Yet I left frustrated. I…
What does it mean to think global and act local? I used to think it was a reminder: don’t lose sight of the people around you, in your quest to save the world. But it can also refer to making small changes that have a large effect. Working in healthcare, education, finance, or government can…
2018 has been a busy year, but a good year. I read 68 books, including 7 rereads. 9 books got 5 stars (including a new favorite, Davita’s Harp) and nothing got 1 star, though The Passage was close. Rating the Books I Read If you’re unfamiliar with the rating system, here’s how it works: *…
“The Talmud teaches that every person must say to himself “The world was created for me,” not as a statement of ultimate self-centeredness, rather out of a sense of unique responsibility for the world. This is my world and I’m its caretaker. If there’s a problem, I’ve got to do something about it.” –Rabbi Ken…
A friend of mine (male) works at a bar. He was recently asked to teach a new server how to use the corkscrew. After he explained to her what she needed to do, she told him he was mansplaining. He considered trying to explain himself, but he decided against it. After all, if he pushed…
Another year, another 61 books. Although 2017 was an absolutely terrible year, it’s been a good year for reading. 21 of the books I read were 4 stars (out of 5) or above, including a few fun trilogies: N.K Jemison’s Broken Earth trilogy, and Erika Johansen’s The Queen of the Tearling trilogy. I discovered a…
Every woman and some of the men I know has been posting to Facebook with “me too”. It’s an acknowledgment of the sheer scale of harassment in our culture. What strikes me is the discussions that come out of the posts. The harassment that we consider “acceptable” vs “unacceptable”. Harassment that started friendly, and crossed…
I rely on book lists as well as personal recommendations, in part because I love hearing why people think I should read certain books. One of my favorites is 200 Books Recommended by TEDsters. Each speaker gave an explanation for what they liked about the books they were recommending, which helps me have context and decide…
